Nymike's scores

[Aslan]

Imperative that I do it in a sanctioned league, nobody cares for batting practice champ, I would love a 200 single, 500 series, I believe my best in a league so far are 182, 484

First step is to do it in practice. Then during sanctioned play. Then start running them together to get nice series. Then the trick will be consistently getting a nice series.

For a guy like vDub...he's aiming to break 600 every single night he bowls league. For me, I'm looking at the 500 mark as my target every single night....or 550.

Better spare shooting will definitely help. Virtually impossible to see consistent scoring with questionable spare shooting.

[NYMIKE]

First step is to do it in practice. Then during sanctioned play. Then start running them together to get nice series. Then the trick will be consistently getting a nice series.

For a guy like vDub...he's aiming to break 600 every single night he bowls league. For me, I'm looking at the 500 mark as my target every single night....or 550.

Better spare shooting will definitely help. Virtually impossible to see consistent scoring with questionable spare shooting.

Slowly getting better today 19/41 on spares, 10/16 on single pins, most of the misses were on the left side. 8.80 first ball average that blows away any mark I ever had by like .5 a pin. I guess I need to be about 75% on spares to be respacteable

[NYMIKE]

League bowling
210, 118, 169 497

Threw 7 strikes in game 1, 5 in a row. Game two did not make a single spare. Game 3 began strong, spare, turkey, spare, but left 4 of the last 5 open, including missing 8 pin on both 9th and 10th frames, costing my first sanctioned 500. Spares were brutal 4/17, 0/7 on single pins. I was around pocket all night but kept leaving spares with pins on the left side. Threw 14 strikes.

[NYMIKE]

07/29
186, 139, 170 495
10 strikes
12/23 spares 4/7 single pin

[NYMIKE]

07/31
I finish my work at 3:30, my lesson, my lesson with coach was at 5. When I got to the alley coach was working with other students, I bowled 3 games on my own 178, 150, 171 499. Interestingly most of my throws were in the 16 mile range, even topped 17 on a couple of throws, which is about a mile faster than my normal speed, I was excited about this development. However my coach told me that I sped up, and told me to take first step by dragging my left foot. It really slowed me down, coach feels it's for the best. Monday I'm off will work on my timing and spares.

[NYMIKE]

8/3
9 game marathon
123 155 172 200 135 148 160 150 247
1390 154.44 average
Threw 200 in game 4, I was hoping for 2 in one day for the first time, did not happen.

[Aslan]

07/31
However my coach told me that I sped up, and told me to take first step by dragging my left foot. It really slowed me down, coach feels it's for the best. Monday I'm off will work on my timing and spares.

I'm working on a similar issue. As was noted by most of the people on this site that have watched my videos...my first step has always been a point of concern. I have long legs and I tend to start with a monster first step with my right foot that crosses over my left foot.

The reason we're trying to fix it is I have a problem where I'm getting to the line early...late timing...I end up "pulling" the ball down...and I usually then miss left. So to fix the timing...we've done numerous things in my stance and approach.

Most recently, like what your coach did, we actually moved my right foot back in the stance...and like your coach, mine tried to get me to slide it in front of the other foot rather than lift the foot up and place it. Subconsciously, if I pick that foot up...I want to take a big step...even if I'm trying not to. But by sliding it...it's still a bit too long...but not the mess it was before.

I know it feels akward...but part of taking lessons is to break bad habits. A lot of bowlers take lessons and get frustrated when the coach suggests something they don't "want" to do. Most of those bowlers have bowled very high scores and the last thing they want to do is become a 180 bowler while they "fix stuff". In short, bowlers tend to be less "teachable" than in other sports. It's so easy to bowl a 200-game or even 225-game...that people think they're too good to have to listen to anyone else's opinions. Not to mention, there's SO many different styles on the tour...it makes people believe that it really doesn't matter what your form and approach and stance and release are...because you're going to "be the one that introduces a new style to the PBA".

I struggle with this every time I watch my favorite (and the best bowler alive) bowler WRW. I WANT to bowl like him...but his form is quirky. Same thing with Mika. I love watching Mika throw the ball...I love that he's able to use loft to control where the ball hooks...and he does it while also releasing the ball "properly". BUT....neither of them are good players to "emulate". Even PBIII, has a more speed dominant, less rev, straighter kind of game...that serves him well as a lefty....but even he admitted would be less successful for a righty (due to the traffic on the right side). Same thing with PDW...he has his own little "style"...it's not "textbook" according to modern day bowling...but it's a classic style that is still allowing Pete to play at the absolute highest level even after 50.

So is there a "right way" to bowl? If so, is it as simple as "just bowl like Chris Barnes"? If so, then why hasn't Chris Barnes been lighting the world on fire lately? I love Sean Rash's form...same thing with Dick Allen. But these guys haven't been "lighting it up" either lately. It makes things confusing for bowlers like us...that are trying to learn the "right" way to bowl when apparently there is no "right" way.

One thing I've been thinking a lot about lately is "form". When I used to be in martial arts...they taught you that you learn form first, then speed, then power. In that order. Form is the basis for everything else. I've been applying that to bowling because, think of it like this:

Have you ever watched a guy bowl and without knowing anything about them...you can TELL that they are good. There's a guy like that in my Tuesday league. I knew he was the best bowler in the league (out of 140+ bowlers) the first time I watched him throw a ball. The anchor on my team in that league...same thing. He bowls with an Ebonite Cyclone...no spare ball...but when you watch him bowl...his form is fantastic. My point is...if you start "looking like a bowler"....you might just become one by accident. But if you're walking up there like you have a broomstick in you pooter...and falling off the shot...off-balanced, etc... then it really doesn't matter if you can hit your mark or how many revs you can generate.

[NYMIKE]

I'm working on a similar issue. As was noted by most of the people on this site that have watched my videos...my first step has always been a point of concern. I have long legs and I tend to start with a monster first step with my right foot that crosses over my left foot.

The reason we're trying to fix it is I have a problem where I'm getting to the line early...late timing...I end up "pulling" the ball down...and I usually then miss left. So to fix the timing...we've done numerous things in my stance and approach.

Most recently, like what your coach did, we actually moved my right foot back in the stance...and like your coach, mine tried to get me to slide it in front of the other foot rather than lift the foot up and place it. Subconsciously, if I pick that foot up...I want to take a big step...even if I'm trying not to. But by sliding it...it's still a bit too long...but not the mess it was before.

I know it feels akward...but part of taking lessons is to break bad habits. A lot of bowlers take lessons and get frustrated when the coach suggests something they don't "want" to do. Most of those bowlers have bowled very high scores and the last thing they want to do is become a 180 bowler while they "fix stuff". In short, bowlers tend to be less "teachable" than in other sports. It's so easy to bowl a 200-game or even 225-game...that people think they're too good to have to listen to anyone else's opinions. Not to mention, there's SO many different styles on the tour...it makes people believe that it really doesn't matter what your form and approach and stance and release are...because you're going to "be the one that introduces a new style to the PBA".

I struggle with this every time I watch my favorite (and the best bowler alive) bowler WRW. I WANT to bowl like him...but his form is quirky. Same thing with Mika. I love watching Mika throw the ball...I love that he's able to use loft to control where the ball hooks...and he does it while also releasing the ball "properly". BUT....neither of them are good players to "emulate". Even PBIII, has a more speed dominant, less rev, straighter kind of game...that serves him well as a lefty....but even he admitted would be less successful for a righty (due to the traffic on the right side). Same thing with PDW...he has his own little "style"...it's not "textbook" according to modern day bowling...but it's a classic style that is still allowing Pete to play at the absolute highest level even after 50.

So is there a "right way" to bowl? If so, is it as simple as "just bowl like Chris Barnes"? If so, then why hasn't Chris Barnes been lighting the world on fire lately? I love Sean Rash's form...same thing with Dick Allen. But these guys haven't been "lighting it up" either lately. It makes things confusing for bowlers like us...that are trying to learn the "right" way to bowl when apparently there is no "right" way.

One thing I've been thinking a lot about lately is "form". When I used to be in martial arts...they taught you that you learn form first, then speed, then power. In that order. Form is the basis for everything else. I've been applying that to bowling because, think of it like this:

Have you ever watched a guy bowl and without knowing anything about them...you can TELL that they are good. There's a guy like that in my Tuesday league. I knew he was the best bowler in the league (out of 140+ bowlers) the first time I watched him throw a ball. The anchor on my team in that league...same thing. He bowls with an Ebonite Cyclone...no spare ball...but when you watch him bowl...his form is fantastic. My point is...if you start "looking like a bowler"....you might just become one by accident. But if you're walking up there like you have a broomstick in you pooter...and falling off the shot...off-balanced, etc... then it really doesn't matter if you can hit your mark or how many revs you can generate.

Well said, initial thought didn't I bowl 210 game last week, then I remember that I followed the 210 with 118, until form if perfected there be a large variance.

[NYMIKE]

08/04
League night
126, 127, 180 433
My team is me (123 average last fall), player b is a man in his 50s throws straight 15 to 16 mph (137 last season) player c is a man 66 yrs old throws very slow but best spare shooter of the 3, he averaged 127 last season. At the start of the night I was averaging 131 this summer, players b and c 132. I had a chance to become teams leading scorer, which I been 4 of the last 5 weeks, but I had sub 300 week 1 and 317 week 2 so it's been a long climb. Player b out scored me today by about 20 points, it would mean a lot to top him in the next 4 weeks.
As a team we swept a team that had a player averaging 191, 169 and 149. 149 dude throws helicopter. Handicap of 102 took us to victory. In game 3 threw 4 in a row to salvage my night.

[NYMIKE]

08/11/15
League night
206, 151, 108 465
Game one was great,just missed the 4 on the first frame.
Game two left a couple open.
Game three first shot a gutter ball, just sucked
My team won all 3 today, my straight ball chugging teammate put up a 520, we swept as we were getting 92 pins, back to back sweeps of the same team. Just sucks that I needed 143 in game 3 for 500 series and I sucked in game three.